5 ways you could get the body of a tennis player

Train and eat like a pro tennis player

If you’re inspired by the power and beauty of Maria Sharapova, or the speed and athleticism of Roger Federer, use these 5 tips to help you get the body of a tennis player. We’ll show you how to train and eat like a pro player so that you can whip your body into Wimbledon-worthy shape:

Legs

Speed, agility and sheer strength is required from a tennis player’s legs and you’ll need to work hard to achieve the toned, sculpted pins most players possess. One of the best ways to tone your legs is to skip. Rumours have it that Roger Federer kicks off his training sessions by skipping and so should you. Try to skip for one minute before resting. Repeat this between three and five times depending on your fitness levels.

Another great way to work your legs is to do some interval training. Serena Williams completes interval training as a part of her training and if it works for her it will work for you. If you are running on a treadmill, begin by walking quickly for two minutes, then walk a little quicker on a steeper gradient for one minute before sprinting with no gradient for one minute. Repeat this process between three and five times. If you are working outside, use lampposts or a stopwatch to complete your session and time your intervals. You should also try to include some lunges with resistance and some lateral raises into your exercise routine to get legs like a tennis player.

Diet

Diet and nutrition plays a key role in any pro-player’s healthy living regime. Although you might not be able to have a dietician on hand or a personal chef, you can still eat like a tennis player.

One of the key food groups to focus on is carbs. During a match, a tennis player can lose between 500 to 1500 calories, so refuelling using carbohydrates is essential. Eat pasta, rice, or cereals post-match. Take a leaf out of Rafael Nadal’s book and eat some grilled fish, such as salmon, alongside a portion of pasta and fresh vegetables.

On those days when you’re not playing a game, start your day with a smoothie. Venus Williams eats vegetable-based smoothies, using kale, carrots, cucumber and protein powder to create a nutritious morning juice. For lunch, Venus likes to eat big salads with plenty of raw veg, beans and lentils. To eat like Venus, knock up a lentil, pea and bean salad for lunch, adding honey, feta and some olive oil to liven up the dish. If you continue to eat this mix of protein, fruit and veg, fibre and carbohydrates you should be able to get the body of a tennis player.

Cross-training

Clearly if you want to look like a pro-player you have to play tennis. Yet although the stars play daily for a couple of hours at a time, chances are you have other commitments, which means you can’t dedicate so much time to the court. However, just because you can’t dedicate as much time to tennis as the pros, doesn’t mean that when you train you should only play tennis. You still need to work out your body doing other forms of exercise. This is known as cross training.

Cross-training is essential for any athlete, not only because it helps build and work other muscle groups (which in turn helps you to become a better tennis player), but it also helps to reduce the stress on the body and hopefully will reduce your risk of picking up a common tennis injury. Try to work some alternative training sessions into your routine, such as cycling, strength training or rock climbing. This will make you a better player and you’ll also have a flawless tennis body as a result.

Arms

If you want to have a serve that clocks up triple digits (the fastest ever serve on record is, according to the Guinness World Records, 156mph and was hit by Ivo Karlovic in 2011) then you need to pay some serious attention to these arm exercises. As well as playing tennis, you need to do some decent strength training exercises too. Try to include a combination of exercises, such as straight-arm rowing, dips, chest presses, push-ups and medicine ball drills.

In order to keep progressing and building muscle and tone in your arms you have to make sure you keep your training sessions varied. Experiment with a range of different exercises and never fall into the trap of a training rut as your improvement will stagnate.

Confidence

If you watch tennis players both off and on court they don’t slink about or slouch. They stand tall. They are confident. Their shoulders are back, their hips are in line with their ears and boy don’t they look 10 times better for it. Remember that getting the body of a tennis player is not just about working out a lot and eating decent food, it’s also about your posture and your confidence too

To improve your posture, work your core by doing exercises like the plank. You can also strengthen your core by doing a Pilates class, doing back extensions and performing exercises that work your obliques and your abdomen. This core work will also improve your balance and tone up your stomach, so there are lots of benefits to be gained by doing these exercises.

As well as exercising you also need to be conscious of your posture throughout the day and make sure you reposition your body and ensure your spine sits in an S shape when your posture begins to slip.